The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-06
CRUCIAL RACE QUESTION.
A SUGGESTION FOR DISCUSSION
Al THE FORTHCOMING
Conference Of Celored Men at In.
dianapolis 10 Consider the Ad.
vancement OF the Negro.
WILL THE TWO RACES AT THE
SOUTH EVER
Become AmaIgamated!-An I'm.
preston Among the Popu-
lace That They Will.

ESPECIAL TO THR APPEAL.
WARRINGTON, June 5.-As a sug-
gestion for discu :sio1 at the forth
coming conference OF colored men
at Indianapolis, which has been
called to consider matters pertaining
to the condition aud advancement OF
the race, an effort has been made
here to father facts which throw light
on the crucial race question, namely,
whether the two races at the South
will ever become amslgamated. The
whole question hangs on the tendency
OF the races either 10 remain as distinct
as they now are or gradually little by
little in every generation 30 become
one that after sufficient time the
block will have disappeared. Al
though the dominant opinion in the
South is that there never will be an
amalg smation there is on the other
hand respectable minority opinion
among historians and ethnologists that
ultimate amalgamation is inevitable.
The most important inquiry in the
whole race question, therefore, is this
one about the tendency toward or
a9aiust.this.
To ascertain whether or not there
eetms to be an increase or q decrease
in he number CT births of mixed
parentsge, letter OF inquiry was sent
from Fere as soon as this colored meet
ing Indisnapolis.was called, to about
100 eu, bali. whites and half blacks,
in al he Southern States. The larger
nun Der of them have answered, but
Their replies, which it was hoped
would show decided drift Of opinion
one way or another, show nothing
bu; glsripg lack of facts. About 40
per g n. Of the whites are sure that a
null will be rare object within a
few generations; about 20 per cent.
are Enable to form any opinion about
the p esent tendency and the remain
iIg er cent. think that while the
nun uer of births OF white and black
pa -, age is lessening the percentage
Ct mulattoes remains about the came
because negro men greatly pre-
fer mulatto women for wives.
The colored men whose opinion was
asked send replies which show the
same difference Of judgment. Some
say that in proportion as the towns in
the South become larger the number
OF mulattoes increases. The town
negro population sh ows tendency to
become lighter in every generation
but the country negro does not.
Among these replies are few which
express very decided opinion that
the full blooded African is sooner or
later doomed to disappe3 n in mon.
grel race-not by the marriage oil
whites with blacks, but by the increase
OF the illegitimate births and then by
the tendency OF the blacks to marry
wives Of lighter hue.
No facts of any value, therefore,
bearing on this point will be present
ed to the national conference at Indi-
suapolis; but the quest on will be dis
cussed for its bearings on morality.
This effort to find ont facts is sure,
however, to have another result and
that is to suggest and perhaps TO
cause them to BIZ collected. The last
census volumes on population and its
distribution contain the number oil
Germans and French and a!ans and
of every other nationality. They con.
tain even tie number f persons living
in each State who were born in every
other State. Every conceivable fact
which bears on the nationality Ct oul
population and on the distribution Of
the native part Of it is reported. Bui
there is no record anywhere OF tie
mixture of the whites and blacks.
Ia reply to an inquiry why thit
omission was made, one OF the otfiCers
OF the last census says the subj ct 0!
race relationship had not then
assumed the importance that it now
seems to have.
The subject will be brought before
the meeting al indianapolis, and it is
likely that resolution will be adopted
requesting the superintendent OF the
next census to have the number Of
mulattoes enumerated. II this is done
in 1890 and sgain in 1900, there will
then be figures to show tendency
either toward or against amalgama
ton. At present nobody knows
There are no facts procurabe to throw
any light on the mes, important phase
OF the race question in the United
States. Whether these fiCis are col
lected by the next census takers may
depend on the interest shown in the
matter by the lesser race at this forth
coming meeting and at otner meetings
between now and 1890.